


Exhalation

by TreeFullOfMonkeys



Category: Love Victor (TV 2020)
Genre: 1x10, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Gen, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Season/Series Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:13:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26813458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TreeFullOfMonkeys/pseuds/TreeFullOfMonkeys
Summary: When Victor comes out, and what comes after.
Relationships: Armando Salazar (Love Victor) & Victor Salazar, Benjamin "Benji" Campbell/Victor Salazar, Isabel Salazar & Victor Salazar, Mia Brooks & Victor Salazar, Pilar Salazar & Victor Salazar, Victor Salazar & Felix Weston, Victor Salazar & Simon Spier
Comments: 9
Kudos: 57





	Exhalation

**Author's Note:**

> I've read almost all the Venji fanfiction on this website and love it all, so I decided to have a go at writing something myself!  
> Let me know what you guys think!!  
> All comments massively appreciated

I can’t keep lying to them, especially not now.

“No, not nothing.” I turn back to face them, my parents and sister.

“Mom, dad, I’m gay.” Holy shit I did it. A small smile fights its way onto my face, and I suppress the laugh that threatens to escape into a small breath.

I focus on the faces of my parents, but I can’t read them.

“Victor…” Mom starts, blinking rapidly, but the sentence dies in her throat.

“What d’you mean?” Dad asks.

“Wow, he couldn’t be much plainer dad.” Pilar rolls her eyes, standing up and storming past me to her room.

“Where’s this come from?” Mom finally asks, after a pause that seems to last for ages.

“I-I’ve known something about me was… different for a while-”

“But Mia? You guys are so happy together?” Dad looks at me with a deep furrow in his brow.

“We are, and for a while I thought maybe I liked both girls and guys. But then I realised that what I feel for Mia isn’t… enough.” I shrug. Mentioning Benji at the same time as coming out would only make things worse.

“Those boys at your party, have they been talking to you? Giving you ideas?” Dad stands up and starts pacing with his hands behind his head.

“Mi amor, why would you choose this for yourself? Maybe Mia just isn’t the right girl for you. She’s the first girlfriend you’ve ever had, just give someone else a chance before jumping into that lifestyle.” Mom gets up too, coming towards me, holding her hands out.

“No, mom. It’s not a lifestyle, it’s not a choice, and it’s not just Mia. I’m gay, I like guys, I  _ only _ like guys.” I bat her hands away.

Why can’t they get it? Why can’t they see how hard this was for me, how calm I am now I’ve said it?

“This is all our fault,” dad continues pacing, “we’ve not been supportive enough to you, we put too much pressure on you.”

“No, dad, it’s not your fault. It’s-”

“Victor, this is a lot to take in, you understand that, right? Why don’t we all go to bed, and talk about… this in the morning?” Mom walks past me, pointedly not making eye contact.

Dad follows pretty quickly, staying completely silent as he strides past me. 

Well that sucked. With a heavy sigh, and the adrenaline of kissing Benji and finally saying those two words starting to wear off, I make my way to my own room, taking my jacket off as I go. I lock the door and flop onto my bed. 

It's funny how you can imagine the worst, and yet still be disappointed. 

Before I start wallowing, I take my phone out and unlock it. Six notifications. Two from Benji, two from Felix, one from Mia, and one from Simon. Well, as Felix says, start with bad news so the good can cheer you up. I open Mia's text thread with a small pit in my stomach. 

**_Mia:_ ** _ This is Andrew. She's not happy, and you've got a whole lot of explaining to do.  _

Yeah, tell me something I don't know, Andrew. I've majorly fucked up one of the best things in my life since moving to Atlanta, and she has every right to hate me. I can't do anything about that now though, I need to give her space to process it and calm down. So I move on to Felix's messages. 

**_Felix:_ ** _ Dude! Where'd you go!? You and Mia got king and queen, and then LAKE ANNOUNCED OUR RELATIONSHIP!?!?!?!? I'm freaking out here man!  _

**_Felix:_ ** _ Something's up with Mia, I just saw Andrew following her out of the dance. Hope you're okay dude!  _

Oh Felix… 

**_Me:_ ** _ Congrats on Lake going public! Mia knows, talk tomorrow. _

Now Simon, boy do I have a lot to tell him now. 

**_Simon:_ ** _ Victor,  _

_ I totally understand wanting to give Mia the perfect night before you come clean.  _

_ But here's the thing about the truth: you can't control how people will react to it, all you can do is be honest with the people you love, the rest is up to them. _

_ Whatever happens, you'll always have me.  _

_ Love, Simon _

**_Me:_ ** _ Dear Simon,  _

_ She found out, and in the most horrible way possible. She saw me and Benji together. _

_ That's another thing, Benji broke up with his boyfriend at the dance, and confessed that he likes me! Unfortunately, that's when Mia saw us kissing, so she's majorly unhappy right now, and I don't know what to do.  _

_ Also, I came out to my parents when I got home, right after they told me and my sister that they're separating. They didn't seem to take it too well, but they said we can talk in the morning.  _

_ So yeah, a lot happened today, a lot more than I was ready for.  _

When writing it all down like that, no wonder I'm exhausted. Finally, I open up Benji's messages. 

**_Benji:_ ** _ Hope you get home safely! I just got in myself _

**_Benji:_ ** _ Even now I can't stop smiling! Tomorrow I'm asking Sarah if I can transfer back to our location _

He really is the best. The one shining good thing that came out of tonight. 

**_Me:_ ** _ Hey, got in about 15 minutes ago, but I've only just looked at my phone. I know I said I'd call tomorrow, but it is technically tomorrow now, so can I call?  _

I need to tell him what happened, and I'd really like to hear his voice. The three dots pop up immediately, signalling that he’s typing. Thank god he’s a fast replier.

**_Benji:_ ** _ Of course you can!  _ 😘

I tap the call button immediately, holding my phone up to my ear. He picks up during the first ring. 

"Hey." he says, voice rough with exhaustion. 

"Hey." I breathe. The tension I didn't realise I was holding flows out of me. 

"Hey." he repeats, a hint of a smile in his voice. 

"So, I have a couple of, I guess announcements, to make, neither of the particularly good." I start. 

"What is it, Victor?" he asks. 

"Okay, um, Mia may have seen us on the bench, so now she knows about us.”

“Oh god, Victor, that’s terrible! What did she say?”

“Well, obviously she’s upset, and angry, and probably hates me, but that’s to be expected. I’m gonna give her a couple of days to calm down, and then reach out to her to try and explain.”

“That’s fair. What’s the other thing?”

“Well, you know you asked if I’d said the words ‘I’m gay’ out loud, well I have now. To my parents.

“Victor that’s amazing! Wait, you said not so good?”

“They didn’t seem to take it well. They said we’d talk in the morning, but neither of them looked at me and they went straight to their room.”

“I’m so sorry that happened Victor, but I’m really proud of you for taking that step.”

“Thanks. It was kinda scary, but I just realised that I’m done hiding and lying. I wanna be proud of who I am,” I take a breath, steeling myself for this next bit, “and who I’m with.”

“Got your eye on anyone?” The amusement is clear in his voice.

“Well, there is this one guy I’m kinda hoping will go on a date with me.”

“Oh really? Tell me about him.” Okay, we’re playing this game.

“Well, he’s really sweet, very patient, makes the ugliest but most delicious meatballs, apparently, and is nowhere near as good at latte art as he thinks he is, but it’s really cute to watch him try. He’s an awesome singer, a terrible dancer, and so thoughtful.”

“Sounds awesome. I bet he’s also devilishly handsome, and, if you’re talking about this guy I know, I hear he also works out every day.”

“Oh he does, and it shows.” Benji’s laugh floats through the phone line, warming me from the inside out.

“So when will I get to meet him?” I can’t take this any longer.

“Whenever you next look in the mirror.”

“Ooh, Victor! You smooth talker! Flattery will get you everywhere.”

“Thanks. So, Benji Campbell, will you go on a date with me?”

“Victor Salazar, I will go on a date with you.” Yes!

“Brilliant. Um, we can discuss it more in the morning, but you’ve just made my night, again.”

“Glad to be of service.”

“Right, I’ll let you get back to sleep now. Talk in the morning?”

“Of course, let me know how it goes with your parents.”

“Will do, night!”   
“Goodnight Victor.” Benji hangs up then, and I throw my phone onto my bed, flopping down along with it. My face hurts from the ear-to-ear grin that I can’t, and don’t want to, stop from spreading over my face. Benji agreed to go on a date with me! Benji likes me back! He kissed me!

My phone buzzes next to my head and I pick it up. Two notifications, one from Pilar which must have come through while I was talking to Benji, and a reply from Simon. I open Pilar’s message first.

**_Pilar:_ ** _ I’m proud of you, and I love you, but this doesn’t excuse what you did to Mia. _

That’s fair, but it’s also about as close to emotion as I’m gonna get, so I’ll take it. I switch over to Simon’s message.

**_Simon:_ ** _ Dear Victor, _

_ While it sucks that Mia found out that way, at least now she knows and the bandaid has been ripped off. And I’m so happy for you that Benji likes you back! Hopefully you guys can get that love story you truly deserve. _

_ I’m also so proud of you for coming out to your parents. You are so brave, and when I told Bram, he actually started crying. The hardest part is over, but your journey is only just beginning. _

_ Love, Simon _

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think! Any and all comments, and kudos, are very much appreciated.
> 
> I have no rights to anything, all the characters are owned by Hulu (I think).


End file.
